A Popular Economics View of the Future of the Longevity Industry

Rather than popular science, here we have a popular economics article on the present state and future of the longevity industry. It is a superficial survey of the field, but interesting for pulling together some of the available economic statistics and forecasts into one place. Making human beings live longer in good mental, neurological and physical health would be one of the most important steps humanity has ever taken. Not only because of the suffering experienced by millions of people around the world, but also because of the massive impact it would have on society, the economy and the public policies of any state. Many countries are under the threat of unsustainable spending, due to the high cost of chronic and degenerative disease. In Spain, for example, health spending related to old age will grow by 18% over the coming decade, reaching over $100 billion annually. We must not forget that the planet rests on a demographic time bomb. The population is aging at an unprecedented rate. It's estimated that, by 2030, there will be 1.4 billion people over the age of 60 worldwide. In 2050, this figure will top 2.1 billion, according to the World Health Organization. Many have tried to calculate the value of the gigantic anti-aging industry. There are numerous projections, but they vary enormously, depending on the fields that are taken into account. These range from preventive medicine to the reprogramming of cells. Bankers estimate that the value of the ...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs